Don Banks from SI on Chiefs Coaching/GM
 

• Kansas City -- The general consensus among the league sources I interviewed was that the high level of fan unrest in Kansas City would probably lead Chiefs owner Clark Hunt to make the personally difficult decision to replace general manager Scott Pioli, and not just head coach Romeo Crennel. Hunt and Pioli remain close, so there's a chance Pioli returns, especially if there's a head coach hire that Pioli can sell to Hunt as the potential difference maker. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is a name long linked to Pioli dating from their days together in Cleveland, and he always surfaces as a possible Pioli hire.

If Pioli isn't retained, he won't be out of work for long, because his personnel judgments are still widely respected throughout the league -- at least outside of Kansas City. It was thought the Chiefs might pursue Bill Polian as a GM candidate, but sources say there has not been contact between the two, even though Polian was thought to be willing to listen.

Other potential GM hires by the Chiefs are plentiful, but they include San Francisco's Gamble, Green Bay director of football operations John Dorsey and Indianapolis vice president of football operations Tom Telesco.

Dorsey is known for having a good eye for talent, and his college scouting background gives him a strong draft pedigree. He has worked under both Ted Thompson and Ron Wolf in Green Bay, two of the most respected personnel evaluators in recent NFL history, and sources say he's ready and willing to pursue all GM opportunities after turning down offers to interview last year.

On the coaching side, Arians, who might win the NFL Coach of the Year award for the job he did as the Colts' interim, is a name that has surfaced in Kansas City. His track record for quarterback coaching is respected, and his résumé includes successful stints with the likes of Peyton Manning in Indy, Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh and this year's impressive rookie season by the Colts' Andrew Luck.

On the defensive side of the ball, Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has again done a superb job with the talent he has on hand, and his work has as much to do with the Bengals returning to the playoffs as any other factor. He has been long considered a quality head coaching candidate, and his son, Adam Zimmer, is currently a defensive assistant on Crennel's staff.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...#ixzz2GIFg6Ne3

Give it up for fan unrest

That's the second source I've seen nationally that states that Pioli being fired isn't a sure thing. Sad.

the NFL coach of the year award should go to Pete Carroll.

I would never give a COY to a Peyton Manning led team...or a Tom Brady led team...or an Aaron Rodgers led team...unless MAYBE the team went 16-0.

Dorsey would be a fantastic hire.

Yeah sure. Pioli is still credible as a personnel expert even after choosing cassel over orton, or any other qb he could have had.

I'd be fine with Zimmer too. It would all depend on the OC hire though. Zimmer is a fantastic football coach.

We have caused revolution.

I will say one thing and one thing only about Pioli and the 2009 draft..

Seriously.

Someone go look at the ENTIRIETY of that draft...it is probably the worst draft in the last two decades, maybe ever (I didn't research past the mid 90s)

It's just...bad.

That's because it's not a sure thing. :shake:

God damn......enough w/ Kirk Ferentz.....Iowa football sucks.

IMO Pioli would have been a success in KC if he hadnt been a complete reerun regarding the quarterback position. I don't think his drafts were bad (outside of his 09 class, which was ****ing terrible) and I don't think his free agent classes were that bad, either.

I think firing Haley was a HUGE mistake and doubling and tripling down on Cassel is what is gonna get his ass fired.

Deservedly so.

A GMs job is three major parts:

Hire a good head coach
Draft the right quarterback
Hit a lot of singles and doubles in the draft and a homerun at least once every other draft.

So without the fan unrest, Clark would be ok with what he's seeing on the field? I understand that the 2 go hand in hand to a large extent, but I hope Clark's focus moving forward is winning a championship and not just getting the fans back in Arrowhead.

Yes, because he's improved his win total from the previous season by 3 or 4 games compared to last season. And for being able to win 10/11 games his 3rd season in Seattle.

2007 is just as bad.

I think he's done an outstanding job this year with a rookie QB.

I'd give it to him or Mike Shanahan.

John Fox is inelgible for having Peyton Manning at QB.

Bruce Arians. Sure...luckiest team ever. The Colts are luckier than the 2010 Chiefs, and it's not close. If they land the #6 seed and play the Patriots...they will lose by 21+.

That team is one of those teams that is primed for a 5-11 next year. I think Andrew takes his BIG leap in year 3.

Well it's a good thing the article didn't mention John Fox, Bill Belichik, or Mike McCarthy. The job Arians has done with that Colts team is certainly worthy of consideration for COY.

I don't know much about that list of GMs beyond cursory Google searches, but I hope that list is legit for the mere fact that it's exactly the hiring strategy Clark Hunt should stick with.

I was fearful that Pioli & Haley's flameouts would make Clark cautious and have him return to the old guard, rather than give a chance to someone new.

That's fine. I guess I don't disagree. I personally like what Carroll and Shanahan has done more, but that's just me. The Colts have just been SO lucky...they have gotten literally every bounce.

But hey, hats off. I don't really want Arians to be our next coach but I won't cry about it...there are much worse choices out there.

Yep. Cassel is the monkey on Pioli's back... all he had to do was admit one mistake.

I agree, it all comes down to Pioli being a complete ****ing reerun with Cassel.

Cassel led to Haley's firing, Crennel's hiring as HC, completely alienating the fans, etc.


If Pioli is retained, say hello to Josh McDaniels.

His drafts weren't bad?

4 years and not a single impact player. Houston might prove to be one, but even then - one impact player in 4 drafts?

That's a huge reason why this team has gone full circle back to the 2-14 hell Pioli inherited.

A QB masks a lot of garbage.

Key word is "masks".

Having a legit QB doesn't make those picks any better.

I agree, but it buys Pioli another 4 years.

Why is he so ****ing stubborn? :facepalm:

Agreed. How anyone can defend what Pioli has done in the drafts is beyond me. Hell almost anyone on CP would have done better.

With Zimmer, my initial reaction is HELL NO, I WANT A QB FRIENDLY OFFENSIVE FOCUS.

But i could maybe live with it, depending on who he brought on as OC, and how much leeway he was given.

But Don, and every other pundit better just quit worrying about Clark and piolis supposed relationship... nothing less than complete regime change is going to reignite the KC fanbase, and Clark SURELY knows this by now.

If Pioli is retained, hires a new coach, and drafts Geno Smith, he will get sucked off by 95% of the fans.

Talk is tough now, but that shit will go out of the window in an instant.

well I think Houston and Berry will be impact players...

and I suppose I won't give up on Asomoah, Allen or Stephenson yet.

I sort of liked what I saw out of Wylie last game.

Guess I can't give up on Poe either.

But yeah, Pioli sucks. I do give him a pass on 2009 because that draft was shit. He passed on Gronk, Graham and Hernandez in 2010 so he can blow me on that draft.

I agree with you 100% about the Colts, however, I still think Arians has done a great job considering the circumstances.

Frazier has also done a good job, too.

If you replace Matt Cassel with Tom Brady... that instantly makes your offense legit, which then gives your defense plenty of time to rest. Winning and losing is contagious. If Tom Brady was leading this offense to wins, I guarendamntee you that the draft picks that Pioli brought here would be playing remarkably better. (I'm not justifying Pioli as good)

Thats why the NFL is a team game. When the person next to you is doing their job, it's a lot easier to do yours.

Unfortantly the QB is the most important position on a team. He is the leader next to the Head Coach, and if he sucks absolute ass, then you gotta figure nobody cares.

Pioli is dead to me now. He has become the dictator of this organization, so every mistake is his. I guess that's what happens when the owner's only job is to cash checks.

The rubbermaid tubs are stacked up outside his office, its coytins for da Don.

agreed ... other than the reerun Haley fluffing shit.

I don't disagree one bit.

I said for years regarding Manning and the Colts that not only was the offense built around Peyton, but so was the defense.

That defense thrived when the Colts had the lead, but if they were down...? They were awful. It was built with Peyton in mind.

Peyton would probably make us think Baldwin, Moeaki and McCluster were great picks as well. Or at least solid picks.

It's hard for me to judge a lot of our young offensive players because of the QB'ing we've had...not that I'd lose any sleep over Baldwin or McCluster getting the boot this offseason.

Sadly, only a few people will actually feel the same way if my scenario happens.

A lot of folks like to credit Arians, who is a good OC for sure. But Chuck Pagano orchestrated the Colts' emergence. Pagano drew up the plan for them and was the HC during OTA all the way through pre season.

Arians did a good job executing Pagano's marching orders during the season, but it wasn't his plan.

Without Cassel, we might never have seen the outbursts we saw from Haley. You can't separate the two.

Cassel is the original sin.

Yep Yep, Pride comes before a fall and his ego killed him. In 2009 he wouldn't listen to Herm's scouts and so his draft was a disaster. He insisted on jamming Cassell down the evryone's throat - ego again over logic. We have all seen this in our private lives. A high level manager lacks the objectivity to make good decisions because their ego gets in the way.

Also, I realy doubt the rest of the NFL is eagerly salivating at the prospect of hiring Scot Pioli after his departure from KC. He destroyed one of the best franchises in the NFL.

Don Banks just hasn't talked to anybody IN Kansas City. He even says so...

READ the article.

Lol
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As we've been discussing in another thread, national writers are often lazy. A quick Wikipedia search shows that Pioli has won multiple "Executive of the Year" awards, and thus he must be good at his job. Seems like a sensible conclusion.

However, anyone who has paid a modicum of attention to what the man has accomplished away from the testicles of Hoodie and Brady would know what a fraud he is.

Additionally, we're fighting the national perception of fly-over country. We're too nice to boo a piece of shit NYer, and we're definitely too nice (and naive) to fire a genious like Pioli.

Well, **** 'em all. Pack your shit, Scott, and I hope that TSA boos your ass when the agent alerts group 5 that it's time to board.

how quickly forget all the reerun shit he did

he didn't move McCluster to running back because of Cassel
he didn't slam McCluster up the middle like a dam power back because of Cassel
he didn't decide whether to go for it on 4th down before our 3rd down play because of cassel
he didn't throw his challenge flag on reeruned play that gained us jack shit because of cassel
he didn't refuse to have an OC because of Cassel


Cassel was a major fail but Haley was an immature asshat


Haley better get a new job in arizona or something because he might not have a job next year in pittsburgh. imo.


people are fluffing Haley because it another way to lash out at Pioli

Bingo

ROFL

I did. Now I challenge you to find/ READ ONE ARTICLE that affords definitive proof that Pioli is gone after the season. Until you find such stated facts -I'll hold on to my opnion that NOTHING is for certain yet. I'd love for you to be able to change my opinion.

There is a better chance that Pioli stays and McDaniels is hired than the Chiefs drafting Geno Smith.

I ****ing hate every single part of it, too.

Which makes zero sense.

Haley was an abysmal head coach, and his failings only serve to accentuate the stupidity of Pioli for hiring him in the first place.

No. Not ****ing true.

**** you dude for even typing that shit
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There is definately something to that...

Pioli: 4-8 at Iowa this year--it'd be a move in the right direction!

Hunt: Yeah. Let's do it!

yep
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Battered-fan syndrome. There is zero chance that Pioli is retained. None.

Why haven't season ticket renewals been sent out yet?

Just because the Chiefs have done terribly stupid things in the past doesn't condemn them to continue to make them in the future. We're going to draft a QB at 1/1, and if things play out like we believe, and Smith reaffirms the fact that he's the top QB in the draft, we'll draft him.

One of my biggest fears. The biggest would be that it happens and they keep Cassel.

This.

This.

This.

**** Me!!!!!!

(Remember how my predictions have went the last 2 months? ;))

TAKE IT BACK!!!!!!!!!

Sigh.

I have been beaten to a pulp.

Cassel is cheaper to cut than to retain. Let common sense be our guide here, people.

Quinn is worse than Cassel, and yet the Chiefs are not playing the latter. It's over, and it was the moment that RAC made the switch.

realizing this is the first step to recovery
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Pioli is gone. The biggest reason he was hired is the Hunts are very close to the Krafts. That is the big reason why the Chiefs were able to get him away from New England.
Posted via Mobile Device

What step is "Antifreeze"?


I might skip straight to it.

If Peeholi stays I am done with following the Chiefs till he is gone.

1st.

This is the antifreeze step
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Bottoms up.

Silly.

agree completely

Hiring Haley was Pioli's first and perhaps biggest mistake ... followed by his stubborn attitude about keeping Cassel.

It just snowballed into a gigantic pile of shit from there.

I have talked to people that have seen it with their own eyes. Some of it has been posted here - like the fact that there were tubs and a two-wheel cart outside his office.

What was he supposed to do with McCluster? The dude sucks and should have never been drafted. That's on Pioli.

changing ... deflecting ... spinning



besides McCluster because a productive slot receiver as soon as Haley got fired.


we add a decent QB and a speed receiver and he will be even more productive.

DMC was not worth a 2nd round pick(i hated it the moment it happened) but the reality is that todd Haley SUCKED as a head coach.

Pioli's mistakes doesn't absolve Haley from his ... it just adds another mistake to Pioli's list.

OCD about Pioli is just beyond stupid

I listen to sports radio all day at work. Seems the popular opinion Ive heard to date is Romeo and Cassell are gone, 100%. Pioli being gone is 50-50. Clark and Pioli are actually pretty close so the chance Pioli gets 1 more chance to get it right is pretty decent.

I personally think Pioli should be fired for his performance, or lack of, but the more I hear from football insiders thoughts on the subject I think it may be more likely he will be back. As far as the business side goes the Chiefs did ok.

LMAO Haley was far from the biggest mistake. That is Cassel.

Had Scott gotten a real QB, Todd would still be the HC.

But at the end of the day, pioli is the Grand Architect of this tornado of fail... if he doesnt get the axe, then no one should.

This all flowed down from the top like a spring river in the mountains... he's GOTTA go... Clark is burning piles of money like the Joker, otherwise.

If Clark isnt smart enough to see that, then God help us all.

How can they keep Pioli? They aren't going to bring in a new HC for a GM with 1 year left under contract. So they extend Pioli after what he's done here?

The timing will never be better. Otherwise you just start a carousel of coaches blaming GMs and GMs blaming coaches.

The only conceivable way Pioli stays is if the rumors are true about him being extended last off season.

Dorsey please. Team him with Chip Kelly, draft Geno Smith. Pregnancy rate among Chiefs fans reaches baby boomer status.

I wouldn't go that far.

But I've brought up at least 10 times and heard no response... why is it that when the 2009 Chiefs make the playoffs in a Mickey Mouse schedule it's considered a fluke. When Arians does the same thing, the same fans think he's the best thing since sliced bread.

Arians is barely beating really crap competition and he's doing it behind a QB who even as a rookie is 10 times better than anyone the Chiefs have had in 10 years. People who believe he's one of the top choices are chasing after shiny objects.

You're going to look pretty stupid when he gets hired next year.

I NEVER said it absolves Haley AT ALL.

Some people have to see things in black and white. I don't. I prefer to see the truth.

At the end of the day, Pioli hired Haley which means all of it is 100% Pioli's fault.

To us, it is a no brainer. To Hunt, who knows. Pioli may sell him that they have a ton of talent on the team, and all they really need to do is to get the QB and get a new coaching staff in here with a fresh outlook on things. Also he may try to sell Hunt that they have done a poor job in free agency because the Pro Personnel guy hasn't been doing a great job of identifying talent and they need a new person in that position.

So at the end of the day, if Pioli is able to convince Hunt that the real changes that need to be made are on the personnel staff and on the coaching staff, and that the top offseason priority would be to find that franchise QB and also spend that cap money on key free agents, he might be able to convince Hunt to keep him around.

I highly doubt it happens, and fully expect a cleaning of the house, but at this point, who knows...

They also beat GB, Minny, and were more than competitive with Houston.

I am undecided on Arians as there are certainly a variety of factors to be considered.